“Okay. They got me doped up. Once I move though, my skin tightens and tears at my back.” She grimaces as she turns to the side to look at me a little more. Isaac grips her small hips and lifts her off the bed without jostling her so she can look at me better.
“Where are you from, honey?” I can’t help but ask. I’m surprised she looks and is acting so well for someone who has been through what she has been through.
“Kentucky.” That’s when I notice the light accent to her voice.
“How did you get here?” I ask next when I sense her not getting upset.
“James.” She sighs and rubs a hand over her face.
“James?”
“James was my boyfriend and Cameron’s best friend. I thought James was the ‘one’. He started to be verbally abusive, putting me down every way he could. He didn’t hit me, but he didn’t care if Cameron did. James was evil in a different way; he would put a gun to my head and taunt me. He’s crazy and I’ve been trying to get away from him for the past year. James left for the week, and that’s when Cameron took his chance to hang me up in the basement, whipping me every day, then let me back down to the ground only to hang me back up, all because I told him to fuck off. Three times a day he would stuff food in my mouth and give me water so I didn’t starve. He would even tend to my wounds. He wouldn’t let me get dressed and left me to stay naked while he made fun of how I looked.” Her eyes fill with tears. My heart breaks for her. I’m glad he didn’t do anything worse to her.
“Oh, honey, it’s all over and you’ll never be around James or Cameron again.” I reach forward and wipe away her tears. She nods and sniffs, looking so small in the bed. She is so petite and short. I want to wrap her in bubble wrap.
“Where do I go after this?” she asks, looking at me, afraid.
“With me,” Isaac answers and moves to stand beside me.
“With you?”
“With me, babe. Your ex is still out there.” Isaac smiles at her. I stare at him in awe, because this is honestly the first time I’ve ever seen him smile. Looking at Emily, I see her with a similar expression on her face.
“You sure you want me?” Her voice trembles as she wrings her hands in her lap nervously. My eyes follow her motions. She is so used to being put down. It’s hard for her to believe someone will want to help her.
“Yes, sweetheart.” He tucks her hair out of her face. It takes everything in me not to aww right then. I lift my hand to hide my smile behind it.
“Want me to bring you some clothes tomorrow?”
“Thank you.” She smiles sweetly and then winces as she shifts in the bed.
“You’re welcome, love.” I pat her hand, then Isaac helps her lie back down in bed.
Braelyn
Ethan picks me up from the hospital a couple of hours later, feeling exhausted. We stop at a diner for some quick dinner, where we agree to fall into bed for the night, even though it’s only around six in the afternoon.
I unlock the door to the house and step inside without looking. A gun cocks. I freeze. Looking up, I see my attacker standing directly beside me with a gun pointed to my head.
“About time you came home, bitch!” he yells at me as he pushes my shoulder so hard I fall and hit the stairs.
“Get the fuck up and walk your ugly ass to the living room.” He lifts me off the ground by my hair.
Crying out, I grab ahold of my hair to keep him from pulling it again. My body is shaking so hard I can barely make it halfway to the living room.
“Hey!” Ethan yells from behind us.
My attacker turns around and points his gun at Ethan. A shot goes off. I scream thinking Ethan is hit, when my attacker’s body slumps forward and lands face first on the floor. My hands fly to my mouth to stop the scream.
I look at Ethan then run to him. He lifts me off the ground in a tight hug, pressing his hand to the back of my head so I can’t look at the man who is lying a few feet away, dead. It’s all over. Oh my God, it’s all over. He is dead and will never hurt me again. I’m free.
“I’m free,” I choke out.
“It’s all over, baby.” He squeezes me a little tighter. I burst into tears, sobbing into his chest, the final weight on my shoulders melting away. Now I get to live my life with Ethan without having to look over my shoulder.
Sirens are ringing outside the house, but all I care about is being in Ethan’s arms. My forever. My always.
Braelyn
A year later
“I’m so proud of you baby,” Ethan says against my sweat-soaked forehead as I cuddle Xavier to my chest after hours of grueling labor.
He bends down and kisses the top of our son’s head. His little eyes open, and he stares up at his daddy. Xavier wraps his tiny fingers around Ethan’s finger as Ethan touches his little hand.
I watch as his eyes fill with tears for the second time today. The first time I ever saw him cry was when I walked down the aisle and we saw each other for the first time on our wedding day. Watching my husband with my son is the most magical thing on earth.
Ethan crawls into bed with me and wraps his arms around us both, his hand resting on the back of Xavier’s head.
“Sleep, Angel.” He tucks my hair behind my ear and lays my head against his shoulder.
Eighteen years later
“Xavier! I’m going to kill you!” I scream at the top of my lungs as I find another frog in my panty drawer. That kid will be the death of me.
I charge down the hallways and throw open his bedroom door. He is lying on his bed with his head propped up on his hands, grinning from ear to ear.
“Yes, Mommy?” he asks innocently and flashes that dimple he got from his father. That little shit knows how to get out of everything.
“Don’t you ‘mommy’ me, mister.” I shake my finger at him, glaring.
“Whatever did I do?” He puckers out his bottom lip and wipes away a fake tear.
“You put a frog in my panty drawer!” I grab his pillow off the foot of the bed and hit him in the face with it.
“Ouch! MOM! Stop, I won’t do it again.” He wails like I’m killing him. I roll my eyes to the ceiling and let out a deep breath.
“Xavier, quit being a pussy!” My daughter sticks her head in the door, laughing.
Lord, give me strength. “Samantha, language!” I yell.
She walks into Xavier’s room, looking totally badass in her training gear from Kane’s center, where she trains with Arabella. Honestly, all of our kids have been trained to defend themselves, but her and Arabella can kick some major butt.
“Mom, when Dad quits cussing, I’ll stop too.” She winks and puts on a pair of Xavier’s boxing gloves then whacks him over the head.
“Come on, big boy. Let me see what you got,” she taunts and moves from side to side in a fighting stance.
“You’re going to get your ass kicked, Xavier.” Looking around, I see Chase’s son, Hunter, standing by the door. Shit, that kid is huge. He follows my daughter around like he is her personal bodyguard.
“I can’t hit a girl,” Xavier states as he puts on his gloves.
“Don’t be a pussy!” Samantha taunts him again and punches him in the arm.
Xavier jumps up and tackles her to the ground, where he starts hitting her on the shoulders and arms. Not hard at all, because he loves his little sister, even though they fight like cats and dogs.
My eyes widen when Xavier looks away at Hunter while his hand comes down, hitting Sam on the mouth. Wincing, I throw my hands over my eyes.
Samantha throws her arms over her face and starts crying. Oh shit. I turn my head slightly, waiting for Hunter’s reaction.
“You fucker!” Hunter yells and starts toward Xavier, ready to beat the shit out of my kid. Did I mention Hunter has the biggest freaking crush on my baby girl?
Xavier looks ready to piss himself as he starts to get off her when she nails him right in the balls. She faked. I have created a monster. Groaning, I walk out of the room and head to my bedroom.
Arms wrap around me once I enter the room. I squeal as Ethan lifts me off the ground and tosses me onto the bed. He slams the door closed, turns over the lock, and stalks over to the bed, looking hotter than sin in his police uniform.
“Have mercy,” I gasp out as he strips out of his clothes. I have been watching too much Full House. Damn, I’m getting old.
“Have you been a good girl today?”
“Never.” I bite my lip and pull my shirt over my head, more than ready for my man.
“Ahh, seems like my girl needs to be punished,” he growls and crawls onto the bed in between my legs.
“Please, don’t punish me, sir,” I plead with him, playing along.
“Hush.” He smacks my thigh and captures my mouth with his.
“MOMMMMMMM!” Xavier shouts at the top of his lungs.
Pulling away, I laugh and fall back onto the bed.
“That little cockblocker,” Ethan hisses and rolls over onto the bed beside me. “But I love every minute of it. Maybe not the cock blocking part, but our time with our kids”
He grabs my hand and kisses my ring finger. “Love you, Angel.”
“Love you too, you big brute. You owe me three orgasms later for all the shit your kids have put me through today.”
He grins. “I think I can accomplish that.”
Oh, and he does, more than three times. ;)
We have had our ups and downs, but one thing that has stayed true was our love for each other. That never wavered, because what we feel for each other is unconditional.
The End.
Jessica and Chase’s story is next!
Coming Fall 2016
I want to thank my amazing readers who have awed me on so many levels with their amazing messages and reviews.
I want to thank my amazing editor who saved my behind on many levels.
Brook Miller who pushed me to go on even though I doubted myself every step of the way.
I want to thank my amazing designer who amazes me with the amount of talent she has and for creating the perfect cover.
To my PA Amber Garcia thank you so much for everything you do and for being my right hand lady love you chick. <3
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LeAnn Asher's is a blogger turned author who released her debut novel early 2016, and can't wait to where this new adventure takes her. LeAnn writes about strong minded females and strong protective males who love their women unconditionally
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Protecting His Forever:
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